adelphos · brother

What it means

adelphos (ἀδελφός) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “brother”.

Also a close relative, a fellow countryman and, among believers, a brother in the faith.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A man born of the same parents as another, or of the same family.
2. A neighbor, someone of the same people.
3. A believer, of the same family of God through the Messiah.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Brother. Abbott-Smith explains it as “from the same womb”. It is used also of a close relative, a fellow countryman and one who shares the faith.

• A blood brother Matthew 4:18
• The brothers of Jesus Matthew 12:46
• Fellow countrymen, the sons of Israel Acts 7:23
• Believers among themselves Acts 1:15Matthew 23:8
• One's neighbor Matthew 5:22Matthew 18:15

How we translate it

“Brothers” 222 times, “brother” 120. This edition writes “brother / brothers” and does not add “and sisters” where the Greek does not say it. Its feminine is ἀδελφή, “sister”.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• brothers ×222
• brother ×120

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×39
• Mark×20
• Luke×24
• John×14
• Acts×57
• Romans×19
• 1 Corinthians×38
• 2 Corinthians×12
• Galatians×11
• Ephesians×2
• Philippians×9
• Colossians×5
• 1 Thessalonians×19
• 2 Thessalonians×9
• 1 Timothy×3
• 2 Timothy×1
• Philemon×4
• Hebrews×10
• James×19
• 1 Peter×1
• 2 Peter×2
• 1 John×15
• 3 John×3
• Jude×1
• Revelation×5

• Matthew 1:2

  Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers.

• Matthew 1:11

  And Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

• Matthew 4:18

  And walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

• Matthew 4:21

  And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

• Matthew 5:22

  But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘Fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

• Matthew 5:23

  So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

• Matthew 5:24

  leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

• Matthew 5:47

  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

• Matthew 7:3

  And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye?

• Matthew 7:4

  Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the beam is in your own eye?

• Matthew 7:5

  Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

• Matthew 10:2

  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee and John his brother;

• Matthew 10:21

  And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and put them to death.

• Matthew 12:46

  While he was still speaking to the crowds, look, his mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to him.

• Matthew 12:47

  And someone said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to you.”

• Matthew 12:48

  But he answered and said to the one who had told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”

• Matthew 12:49

  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Look, my mother and my brothers!

• Matthew 12:50

  For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

• Matthew 13:55

  Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

• Matthew 14:3

  For Herod, having seized John, bound him and put him away in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother,

• Matthew 17:1

  And after six days Jesus takes along Peter and James and John his brother, and leads them up onto a high mountain by themselves.

• Matthew 18:15

  And if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

• Matthew 18:21

  Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

• Matthew 18:35

  So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive each his brother from your hearts.”

• Matthew 19:29

  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

• Matthew 20:24

  And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

• Matthew 22:24

  saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If someone dies not having children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’

• Matthew 22:25

  Now there were among us seven brothers; and the first married and died, and not having offspring, he left his wife to his brother;

• Matthew 23:8

  But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.

• Matthew 25:40

  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I tell you, as much as you did it to one of these least brothers of mine, you did it to me.’

• Matthew 28:10

  Then Jesus says to them, “Do not be afraid; go, tell my brothers to go away to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

• Mark 1:16

  And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

• Mark 1:19

  And going on a little, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

• Mark 3:17

  and James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (and he gave them the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);

• Mark 3:31

  And his mother and his brothers come, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.

• Mark 3:32

  And a crowd was sitting around him, and they say to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.”

• Mark 3:33

  And answering them, he says, “Who is my mother and my brothers?”

• Mark 3:34

  And looking around at those who were sitting around him, he says, “Look, my mother and my brothers!

• Mark 3:35

  For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

• Mark 5:37

  And he did not let anyone follow along with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

And 302 more times.